USA v. Alzaq, Saleem
Covington, LA

Hamas

[SDNY] On October 2, 2026, the Justice Department announced coordinated U.S. and French action against what it describes as an international Hamas fundraising network. An indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York charges Saleem Alzaq of Gaza, whom the department describes as a Hamas member and a battalion deputy in the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing. Since about January 2020, Alzaq allegedly raised more than $1.7 million from donors worldwide, including in the United States, through social media campaigns purportedly providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the money funneled to Hamas. He is charged with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiring to commit money laundering (each up to 20 years), and conspiring to defraud the United States (up to five years). Three alleged U.S. contributors were arrested:

Abdel Adhami, 35, and Omar Adhami, 33, both of Covington, Louisiana, charged in the Eastern District of Louisiana. They allegedly gave about $94,000 and $11,000, respectively, between roughly February 2021 and September 2026. They face material support, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges.

Raed Yousef, 56, of Lutz, Florida, charged in the Middle District of Florida. He allegedly gave almost $50,000 and faces material support, terrorist financing and money laundering counts, plus one count of passport fraud.